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Alarm Not Received (Overflow & Blocking)

If a device is sending signals but they are not appearing in the operator's alarm queue, the system may be automatically suppressing them due to an Alarm Overflow.

Understanding Overflow Thresholds​

GCXONE and Talos implement safety thresholds to prevent "system flooding" from malfunctioning devices.

PlatformScopeThresholdIndicator
GenesisDevice Level>25 video alarms in 5 minsStatus: "Blocked" in Device Dashboard
TalosSite Level>25 alarms in 5 minsCode: "Alarm limit exceeded" in Talos Logs

Troubleshooting Steps​

1. Check Genesis Block Status​

  • Navigate: Open the Device Dashboard.
  • Filter: Look for alarm types like analytics.something or motion.something.
  • Status Check: If alarms are marked as Blocked, the threshold has been reached.
  • Event Overflow: Look for a system-generated alarm titled Event Overflow; this is the definitive indicator of a Genesis block.

2. Check Talos Logs​

If Genesis shows alarms as "Accepted" but they don't reach the operator, check the site logs in Talos.

  • Search: Look for the exact, case-sensitive code: Alarm limit exceeded.
  • Scope: Note that Talos blocks are aggregate (all devices on a site combined).

3. Identify the Root Cause​

  • Redundancy: An alarm is ignored because an identical code was received from the same sensor within 30 seconds.
  • Flood: Basic "Motion" alarms are highly prone to flooding during environmental changes (rain, shadows).

Resolutions & Best Practices​

  • Disable Motion Alarms: It is highly recommended to disable basic motion detection.
  • Use IVS/Analytics: Use Intelligent Video Processing (IVS) alarms (e.g., Line Crossing, Intrusion). These are pre-filtered by the device hardware, significantly reducing the event volume.
  • Adjust Thresholds: If a high-activity site legitimately requires higher volume, contact support to adjust the tile overflow threshold custom property for that specific site.

[!CAUTION] If a customer insists on basic motion alarms that frequently trigger blocks, inform them of the operational risk, as the system cannot guarantee alarm delivery during a flood.